Gym launches “obscene, sexist” poster on half marathon route

Hot on the heels of a gym coming under fire for an advert asking “fat and ugly” people to remedy their terrible situation with a membership, another gym has decided controversial tactics are the best way to attract new customers.

Appearing on a portable billboard stationed on the Cardiff Half Marathon route, the tactic in question is a poster of a woman in a thong on a bicycle, alongside the words: “There’s better things to be stuck behind than the car in front.”

Predictably, it’s caused a stir among those not living under a bridge, who have called out the gym for its “sexist”, “inappropriate”, “obscene” and “utterly awful” advert, including MP for Cardiff Central Jo Stevens, who told walesonline.co.uk: “This is yet another example of inappropriate and sexist advertising that shouldn't be anywhere near a family friendly event.”

It could be argued by the terribly cynical types among us that this kind of exposure is what those behind the ad intended, believing that any publicity is good publicity. The success of that strategy may be questionable, but hey, we’re not experts.

in fact, we're not even sure what it's trying to say beyond just showing a picture of a bum (women work out in thongs, so don’t drive wherever you’re driving and go to the gym instead? Because a common choice in life is obviously either sit in a traffic jam or go to the gym?) so maybe we should stick to using our lady brains to think about glitter and ponies.

Meanwhile, the official @CardiffHalf Twitter account posted, “The content on this ad is totally inappropriate/not agreed to by us. We will be writing to UFit Gym on this.”

While the gym, UFit Fitness, has so far been silent on Twitter (other than to tweet a picture of the poster), one of the managers is reported to have said: “It wasn't our intention to offend people and it wasn't at all done in a sexist or derogatory manner.”

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Amy Swales

Amy Swales is a freelance writer who likes to eat, drink and talk about her dog. She will continue to plunder her own life and the lives of her loved ones for material in the name of comedy, catharsis and getting pictures of her dog on the internet.